“He thought she’d be ashamed to be seen with him.”
“What?” she gasped. “That’s awful. Any woman like that isn’t worthy of him.”
Caleb smiled. “And that’s why you’re perfect for us. You see each of us for who we are. You know that while Wolfe might have problems with intimacy that he’d have your back no matter what. That he cares in different ways. That even though Aleki smiles and jokes, he’s the most sensitive of us all. And that I. . .”
“That you what?”
“I don’t know. What do you see when you look at me?”
She stared at him and thought about what to say. How often did he sacrifice his needs for everyone else?
“I see a man who’d protect the world if he could. But since he can’t, he looks over those closest to him without complaint or fanfare. He doesn’t want thanks, he just wants us safe and happy. I see a man who loves fiercely and fully. Who’s fair and kind and strong. I see a man who is always there no matter what. The shoulder for me to cry on. The strength to lift me up. And the courage to keep me going.”
He stared at her, looking shocked. “You can’t really see all that.”
“I do. You’re the glue, Caleb.”
He shook his head. “I’ve been a temporary fix. Holding them together until we found our heart again. The person that makes us complete. You know what I thought when we found you in that alleyway?”
“Damn she looks like shit?” she guessed.
“No. That came next.”
She wrinkled her nose at him.
“I thought, ‘there she is. There’s my girl. And I’m never letting her go. Never again.’”
“Really?” she whispered. “But what if Aleki and Wolfe hadn’t wanted me to come back here with you guys?”
“That would have been a problem. But I wasn’t leaving you.” He ran his finger down her nose. “You know that you don’t have to be anything other than yourself with us, right?”
“What if I don’t know who I am anymore? What if I don’t know what I want?” she whispered.
He frowned slightly. “You have time to find out. Are you worried that we’ll try to turn you into someone else? I don’t want you thinking that you have to pretend to be something you’re not. If something feels right to you, then you do it. If it makes you uncomfortable, then you speak up and say it. We pause, we talk, we try again or we try something new. There isn’t a right or wrong here, jelly bean. There isn’t one right way of doing things. You can always use your safeword. No matter what. Do you remember what it is?”
“Boo.”
“Good.
“But what if my father finds me? What about the mystery man? The person who shot at me?”
“If your father finds you, then there’s not much he can do. Nobody can get into Escana without a visa. Let us protect you and stop worrying so much.”
“I’ll try.” She looked down at her drawing. “It’s why I came in here.”
“Yeah?” He looked pleased.
“I was curious. But I was also lying in bed, thinking and worrying and I just wanted to stop.”
“You should have called out for me,” he told her. “I can help you.” He tucked some hair behind her ear, his fingertips brushing against her cheek.
“I was wondering if I should contact my Uncle Ben, let him know I’m all right.”
“You’re close to him?” Caleb replied.
“He’s my father’s brother. He’s away a lot for business, but we’ve always been close. I often wished he was my father. Maybe I should have gone to him about my father but I wasn’t sure he’d believe me. I also didn’t want him getting hurt.”
“I can have Aleki send him a secure message, but I’d prefer not to,” Caleb told her. “A message like that can be a clue in itself to someone searching for you.”